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International Education and Study Abroad

Study away opportunities open your eyes to a world of possibilities

Simpson College May Term group meet Dalai Lama

Gain a World of Insights and Advantages

Simpson is ready to help you explore the world.

Your future will thank you for gaining global awareness and competence. After all, today’s employers place a premium value on those who are experienced and empathetic in engaging with a rich diversity of people and cultures.

Explore the exciting possibilities awaiting you through your Simpson May Term study away experiences and affiliated semester programs.

Go Far Beyond Expectations

65+

Semester abroad programs Simpson offers access to through ISEP

$4k

Max scholarship award available through Simpson’s study abroad program

25+

Country location options through ISEP

May Term Travel Courses

Led by Simpson faculty, international travel courses provide you the opportunity to study one topic intensively while traveling with your classmates.

Here is a tentative list of offerings for May 2027.  Come learn more at the Simpson Study Abroad Fair on Septebmer 23rd, 1-2pm in Hubbell Hall in Kent Campus Center!

Brazil

From Empire to Democracy

British Isles: United Kingdom & Ireland

Divided Histories & Debated Political Identities

Italy

Criminal Justice and the Anti-Mafir Movement

Little Cayman

Marine Biology

Japan

Japanese Culture and the Three Sacred Mountains

New Zealand

New Zealand through Photography

Northern Europe (Finland and Norway)

Education and Society

Spain

The Spanish Civil War: Madrid and Barcelona

Domestic: National Parks in CO, UT, AZ, and CA

National Parks: Learning from the Land

More on May Term

Know No Limits

Colbee Cunningham during travel abroad

"Get out of your comfort zone and push yourself beyond your boundaries because you’re stronger than you think. Travel the world, make mistakes and you’ll come back stronger — I promise.”

Colbee Cunningham ’23

2024 Princeton in Latin America Fellow

Learn About Colbee's Adventures

A Semester Abroad

A semester abroad is life-changing and the best way to truly get to know a country, its culture, and the language.  Almost all students who study abroad receive additional scholarships, above and beyond their financial aid package.

Semester abroad options below come from the partnership between Simpson College and ISEP to provide students with affordable international programs.  Take a look at their website and find the program that is right for you!  Once you find the program reach out to the Office of Study Abroad to discuss options.

Locations

Our current options with ISEP include dozens of countries and over 60 programs!  Click here to see the full range of offerings for Simpson students.

How to Make it Happen!

Scholarships

Through a generous bequest by the late Dr. Joseph W. Walt, emeritus professor of history, Simpson College is pleased to offer more than 40 scholarships annually to help cover costs of a Simpson College student’s study abroad experience. These awards are available for students participating in a May Term International Travel Courses as well as for those studying on semester-long overseas programs.

For students who receive a federal Pell Grant as part of their college financial package, the Gilman International Scholarship is another potential funding source. The scholarship is provided by the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. Deadlines are often ahead of our May term application deadline, so early planning is essential!  The fall deadline, which is best for May Term 2027, is Thursday, October 1.

Application

Simpson utilizes Horizons for international study opportunities.  This is available here, and you can use your Simpson account through One Log-In.  Students will use Horizons to choose a program, submit passport and health information, and apply for the Walt Scholarship if interested.

Deadlines

Simpson College uses the providers below for fall semester, spring semester, and summer programs. There are different deadlines for different programs. Simpson College students must apply to both Simpson College Study Abroad and the provider.  Interested?  Use the links below to learn a bit more and reach out to luke.behaunek@simpson.edu to ask questions or start the process.

ISEP (Multiple locations globally) Location specific deadline dates.  Generally September 15-October 15 for Spring Term, and March 1-April 15 for Fall Term.  Summer programs are also available.

Best Steps Abroad (Granada, Spain) Sept. 15 for Spring Term; April 15 for Fall Term.

For our Simpson faculty-led May term experiences, the deadline for May Term 2027 is October 7, 2026.

International Student Teaching

Global Gateway for Teachers Program

Simpson’s education majors have the opportunity to spend half of a semester abroad while gaining real-world teaching experience. The rigid structure of most teacher education programs makes it difficult for students to take part in a traditional study-abroad experience. Yet this kind of cultural immersion is vitally important for future teachers, because it helps them develop the flexibility and perspective to work successfully with students from different cultures in their own classrooms back home.

The Global Gateway for Teachers (GGT) is designed to give students those multicultural student experiences while also fulfilling their degree requirements for student teaching. After successfully completing their initial 8-week long “stateside” student teaching placements, participants can then complete the second half of their student teaching experience abroad in one of GGT’s program locations.

Global Gateway's Rave Reviews

The Global Gateway for Teachers Program program is one of the most rigorous and innovative study abroad experiences available. It has been honored by:

The International Awards for Innovative Practices in Higher Education

The Goldman Sachs Foundation Prizes for Excellence in International Education

The AACTE’s Best Practice Award for Global and International Teacher Education

Apply for the Global Gateway for Teachers Program

In order to apply for international student teaching, pre-service teachers must first complete the student teaching application requirements set forth by Simpson’s Teacher Education Department.  Once that’s been done, applicants should then work with Sara Kratzer in Teacher Education for the next steps.  More information can be found at this link hosted by the Simpson Teacher Education Department.

For fall semester student teaching, students should apply to student teach by Nov. 1 (ten months in advance), should apply to Simpson’s International Student Teaching Program by Dec. 1 (nine months in advance), and submit completed Global Gateway application materials by Jan. 15 (eight months in advance).

For spring semester student teaching, students should apply to student teach by Mar. 1 (ten months in advance), should apply to Simpson’s International Student Teaching Program by May 1 (eight months in advance), and submit completed Global Gateway application materials by Sept. 15 (four months in advance).

Questions? We're here to help.